


Romantica Di Fantastica!

by BonDeSoren



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Adventure, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Male-Female Friendship, Master & Servant, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Possible smut, Princes & Princesses, Romance, Royalty, Sacrifice, Secret Identity, Self-Sacrifice, Somewhat of a drama, Tsundere OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:57:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9417467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BonDeSoren/pseuds/BonDeSoren
Summary: Marquee Fiore Rozen Blanchard fled from Valencia due to the internal conflict that plagued her country. Forced to conceal her identity as the successor of the Valencian throne, she relocates to Lucis in hiding. Later, she joins Prince Noctis and his friends on their trip, oblivious of her true identity... until Ignis Scientia discovers the truth about the "Runaway Princess."Will destiny align Fiore and Ignis together or will it end in tragedy?





	1. The Marquee in Lucis

_**The Marquee in Lucis** _

" _The Lion would devour the Sun and plunge the Motherland into the very depths of blackened doom… However, the last Flower would stand, tall and proud, and bloom in the wake of impending evil…"_

_"… Go now, Fiore… May Fortunia grant you the best of luck…"_

_"… Father...!"_

She reached out her hand to the sky, only to see the dusty old ceiling above her. Beads of sweat ran down her face and chills crawled down her spine. She panted heavily, but she slowly got up from her slumber and scanned the area.

She remembered now: She was in her room – well, not exactly her room per se. Another lodging place to be accurate. The alarm on her smartphone ranged constantly to the point of falling on the floor. She groaned while scavenging for her phone and once she found it, she tapped its screen.

_11:06 AM. 78°C. Mostly Sunny._

She sighed quietly while holding her dark blue hair with one hand, _Another dream…_

A sun-shaped symbol lightly illuminated a golden hue on the back of her neck, though she didn't notice. She could never make any sense of her dreams. Were they omens? Visions of the near bleak future? Such questions left her desperate and yearning for answers.

Suddenly, a voice called out from outside, "Lady Fiore!"

Fiore glanced out the window, looking quite annoyed, "…Hein?"

"Sorry to disturb your slumber, but we must depart!"

"Again…?" She yawned, "But we just got here…"

"I'm aware, but the Imperials are heading this way! We must leave now!"

Hein already prepared Fiore's luggage, motioning her to come to the foyer. As her bullet-proof bodyguard and caretaker, it was his duty as the "Royale Personnel" to make sure the Marquee was safe from all harm. Fiore yawned again, but got up from her bed and waved back at Hein.

"I'm coming… I'm coming…" she headed towards the shower, " _Zut_ … what does a girl have to do to get some sleep around here?"

Marquee Fiore Rozen Blanchard VII was not one to simply wake from her beauty sleep... Four years have passed since moving to the neighboring kingdom of Lucis and she has yet to assimilate and adopt the customs of the Lucian Kingdom, let alone the constant alert of the Imperials and their Magiktek Army. Lucis was far different from her motherland Valencia because her country was more of a "Renaissance" domain.

Despite its classical background, it didn't mean that they were far behind technologically, of course. Valencia also had its fair share of fancy vehicles and smartphones, usually imported from Lucis, but the overwhelming population preferred the ancient art of alchemy.

Oh, how Fiore missed her motherland and yearned to return, but Hein insisted staying in Lucis for just a bit longer, at least until the "internal conflict" died down.

After freshening herself up, the pair left Lestallum and continued their trip to Altissia. Once again the pair had to traverse on foot, much to Fiore's dismay. She hated long-distance walks especially in her black high heel boots, midnight blue strapless dress, and snow white bolero, but to Hein it wasn't so much of a burden even though he was the one carrying all her bags.

The trek to Altissia wasn't going to be an easy one…

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Noctis and his friends were off on the road again for Altissia. After an extended stay in Galdin Quay, the group lost track of to time and they had no other option but to drive the rest of the way without any breaks in between. Prompto opposed the proposal, only to be overruled by his friends.

Prompto groaned, "C'mon guys! We been on the road for hours… we didn't even stop for a single photo! And I kinda have to go!"

"Then hold it," Noctis casually replied.

"Or go lumberjack style," Gladiolus continued.

Ignis sighed, "Not in the car, Prompto. I remember giving you ample time to go to the restroom…"

"But I didn't have to go then!" Prompto complained, waning arms like a spoiled child.

"Well," Noctis laid his head on the car's side, "you should've gone when you had the chance."

Prompto slouched in his seat groaning while Ignis turned on the radio to drown out Prompto's moans. While flipping several radio stations, the female newscaster could be heard albeit the reception was a bit hazy.

"Ah, yes," Ignis turned up the volume, "World news… It never hurts to know what's happening outside of Lucis."

"They're probably better off than we are," added Gladiolus.

_"…In other news, Marquis Solus Blanchard of Valencia has been pronounced dead. Sources claim he was assassinated in the wake of midnight and autopsies prove that there was indeed a struggle to which cost the life of the Valencian Count._

_Now Civil War plagues the country. Bloodshed and violence have taken the lives of both opposing sides and with the recent collapse of the government, the Land of Life may not be so lucky to escape looming anarchy…_

_The Prime Minister has issued a statement on the matter…"_

"Damn… They have it worse than us…" Prompto said, "I kind of feel sorry for them..."

Noctis remained silent; another king has died saving his kingdom – a reminder of his late father's death left a lump in his throat.

"Yes, but we have our own predicaments to handle…" said Ignis bluntly, "The homeland comes first before anything else. Remember we have an objective to complete."

"To reach Altissia with the Prince in one piece," added Gladiolus.

"Yeah! Right, Noct?" Prompto turned to Noctis.

Noctis looked up and he smiled lightly, "…Yeah. Right."

* * *

 

Fiore groaned, "Why do we have to continue the trip on foot? I demand faster transportation!"

Hein smiled brightly, despite being well annoyed with Fiore's complaints, "Well, our previous car crashed due to the 'mistakes' of a certain driver…"

" _I_ had the right of way," Fiore interrupted.

"Yes, but do realize we are in a foreign country, milady…" Hein interjected, "The customs and rules of Lucis differ from our own."

She pouted and perked her nose up, "Hmph!"

Hein sighed and the both continued to walk the dry terrain. The area was barren save for a few beasts grazing. The heat was becoming unbearable for Fiore to take; she stopped in her tracks and crossed her arms.

"That's it… I'm done walking…"

"What would you like to do then, milady?" Hein asked.

Fiore stood on the edge of the road and put her thumb up, "I can't believe I'm doing this, but I will not take another step in this heat!"

"Hitchhiking? I see... Well then!" Hein dropped one of Fiore's bags and waved his hand to attract passing drivers.

The results were fruitless. Hours spent on hitchhiking and to no avail; no one was willing to give these two a ride. There was this one bearded old man in a red truck who offered to give Fiore alone a ride (and a "nice" time), to which she refuted by turning the car into a raging sabertusk, bucking the man furiously. The sunset dawned at the horizon, no car came by for a while, and at this point Fiore began to lose hope.

That is until Hein noticed a pair of headlights beam from behind.

Hein gasped in utter shock and amazement, "Milady! Look! Headlights!"

Fiore looked up to see that Hein was right. A pair of bright headlights gleamed overhead, so in a rush of excitement, she waved her hands and jumped.

"Lady Luck be so kind!" She mused, "Hey! over here!"

Fiore and Hein could make it out to be a black luxury car with three – no, four—males inside, who were also dressed in black. Fiore was certain that the Goddess Fortuna answered her prayers, but alas, the car also passed them without a second thought. Distraught and enraged, Fiore summoned her bow and arrow and aimed towards the trunk of the car.

_Why is everyone in this country so rude!?_

"Wait, Milady!" Hein reassured, "I think they're coming back!"

The charcoal-covered car stopped then made a U-turn. Fiore could hear a cheerful laugh from the car.

"Hello, beautiful," It was a blonde-haired man dressed in black, eying her from head to toe, "I think the princess is no longer in another castle, am I right?"

He looked at his friends for approval, only to return the gesture with groans.

"… Flattering." Fiore said sarcastically once her bow and arrow disappeared from her hands.

The blonde took Fiore's hand, "Sorry if we didn't stop the first time… My chauffeur here wasn't paying attention…"

The "chauffeur" adjusted his glasses, _Why did I turn around?_

"Anyways, need a ride? We have room for one more," The blonde asked eagerly, motioning Fiore to enter the Regalia.

"Prompto…" Noctis's eyes shifted towards Prompto.

"What?"

"We can't afford any more 'guests' on our trip," Gladiolus said, "Besides, she looks like the type to slow us down..."

"Slow you do—Do you have any idea who you are talking to?!" Fiore bellowed, "I am Fiore Rozen Bla—"

"Fiore Rozen! Just Fiore Rozen! Current heiress of the Rozen family!" Hein glared at Fiore for a moment. The last thing he wanted was for her to reveal her true identity to anyone, for no one in Valencia knew about her existence except the royal family and those associated with them.

"Please excuse her outbursts... she's prone to lashing out at others," Hein bowed in Fiore's place for forgiveness.

"Nah, it's cool!" Prompto assured him.

"Well then! We thank you for stopping... We figured no one would. But if it's not any trouble, we would like to receive a ride to Altissia."

"What a coincidence! We're heading to Altissia too!" Prompto exclaimed happily, placing a hand on Ignis's shoulder.

"Really?" Fiore asked, "Then it wouldn't be much trouble for you boys to escort me there..."

Prompto looked at the rest for approval, "Awww, come on guys! Can we? Please? Pretty please?"

"The Regalia can only fit one more person..." Noctis replied.

"I can fix that!" Suddenly, Hein turned into a small, impish, stone-like version of himself and crawled into one of Fiora's bags. The men were amazed. Never have they seen a man like Hein, if they could call him that.

"He's a Geo Homme," Fiore explained, "You know? Like a–"

"Human Rock?" Ignis interrupted, "I'd never thought I'd see one. They are quite rare."

Fiore's eyebrow twitched, "Yes... and could you please not interrupt me while I speak? It's quite rude of you."

"My apologies..." Ignis replied in a sarcastic tone.

 _Hmph! Four-eyed fool..._ Fiore thought as she handed her bags to Gladiolus and Noctis, "Excuse me, but you two are carrying precious cargo now, myself included of course."

She winked and giggled at the two while entering the car, only for Noctis to turn away uninterested and for Gladiolus to scoff and look away.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Onward! Chop! Chop!" Fiore commanded with a pompous snap of her fingers, "You, Chauffeur. Start the car."

"You heard the lady!" Prompto exclaimed, clapping his hands, "Chop Chop, Iggy!"

Ignis gripped the wheel in irritation, however, he kept his composure, turned on the engine, and drove off.

 _Now this is more like it,_ Fiore thought, _though it's a bit cramped back here…_

Although being slightly sandwiched in the middle by two men– one big and burly and the other drowsy and languid—it was better than walking another twenty miles to their next destination. It's been a while since she's been in a luxury car surrounded by potential bodyguards.

"You OK back there?" Prompto asked.

"Yeah, but goodness, you all smell awful… I think it's coming from him," Fiore covered her nose and pointed at Gladiolus.

Prompto laughed, "Well, he is 'The Great Outdoorsman.' Of course he'd smell a bit funky..."

Fiore laughed with him which prompted Gladiolus to shift in his chair, pushing Fiore on purpose, "Oh. Sorry... Didn't mean to do that."

Fiore gently slammed next to Noctis's shoulder to which he let out an irritable groan, "Could you guys not? Tryin' to sleep here..."

"No horseplay in the car," Ignis ordered sternly.

"He started it..." Fiore slightly pushed Gladiolus.

"And I will be the one to end it," Ignis replied in displeasure.

Fiore glared at Ignis for a brief moment then crossed her arms and pouted while Ignis sighed. She really disliked this man... Who was he to tell her, the Marquee of Valencia, what she can and can't do? Nevertheless, a light sigh escaped from her lips and she closed her eyes as she laid back in her seat.

_Snap!_

In slight shock, Fiore opened one eye to see Prompto laying his arms on the head of the seat facing towards her. He was fiddling with his camera.

"You look pretty cute," he chuckled, showing her the photo.

Noctis stretched his arms, "What about Cindy?"

"She's cute too… I mean they're both cute," Prompto said, winking at Fiore.

Noctis shrugged then dozed off again, "Whatever you say..."

Silenced engulfed Fiore while staring at the photograph until a thought ran across her mind.

"Oh, come to think of it," She said, "You didn't give me your names..."

_Yeah, it was probably a bad idea to tell a bunch of eerily black-cladded men your name and get into a black car with them... Er..._

The "Luxury Escort" idea deteriorated quickly. The question was raised: What if these men had an alternative motive? For all Fiore knew, they could kill her at any moment or worse. If so, she and Hein were prepared to take precautions, even if they were outnumbered.

"Oh yeah!" Prompto slapped his forehead, "Sorry about that. Name's Prompto. Prompto Argentum. Pleased to be of service, Miss Rozen!" He bowed to Fiore in an exaggerated but elegant manner.

"This big guy here is Gladio, that's my pal Noct, and that's Specs a.k.a Iggy."

Ignis and Gladiolus kept quiet and Noctis looked at Fiore with tired eyes, waved to her, then went back to sleep. Suddenly, Fiore quickly turned her head to Noctis, her deep blue eyes widen once she made a groundbreaking discovery: _Noct… Noctis? Noctis Lucis Caelum?_

"The Crowned Prince of Lucis?!" She exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her seat.

"Yep," Gladiolus answered, "The one and only."

Sweat glimmered down her forehead and cheeks and her heart skipped a beat or two. This was the prince? But how? He was proclaimed dead once Fiore caught wind of the fall of Insomnia and the subsequent death of the king, but yet here was the Prince, alive and well. It must have been fate—the Valencian Princess and the Lucian Prince, traveling together to Altissia. A fairy-tail story, indeed, and the rumors were true: He really was a dreamboat. Too bad he was hitched...

"So, Miss… Rozen was it?" Ignis said, his eyes still fixated on the road, "Not to be rude, but by judging your accent—"

"What about my accent?" Fiore interrupted, "You're one to talk, considering yours!"

"Yeah, but Iggy comes from a different region than us," Gladiolus said.

"And, before I was rudely interrupted," Ignis continued, "Again, your accent assumes that you are not from Lucis, are you?"

Fiore panicked in silence, _My accent! Oh, Fortunia grant me grace! Please... Please don't give me away!_

"Leave her alone, Iggy. You both sound the same to me," Prompto said, "So what if she comes from a different country?"

Ignis pushed up his glasses, "Espionage is a possibility."

With this in mind, Gladiolus and Prompto stared at Fiore. Concern and possible distrust brought a small, playful conversation to a halt. Dead silence filled the air aside from the quiet purr of the Regalia's engine. All but Noctis (who was fast asleep) felt tense.

"Oh, but I assure you we are not spies for the Empire," Hein said, popping out of Fiore's bag. His voice had a higher pitch as opposed to his regular tone. He too feared that Ignis was becoming smart to their little rouse; he appeared to be the kind of man to ask a variety of questions and analyze even the smallest details which brought anxiety to the Royale Personnel, not to mention the Marquee as well.

So in an attempt to gain the group's trust, Hein placed a hand over his chest, "Milady and I solemnly swear that we are not spies of the Imperial Empire." Hein motioned Fiore to do the same.

"Oh, yes! I bet my life that I am not a spy!" She exclaimed, also holding her hand to her heart.

The light gleamed from Ignis's glasses, "...How bold of you, Miss Rozen. Then I suppose I'll hold you to your statement. However, we will not hesitate to execute you and your companion here."

"Watch your back," Gladiolus warned.

Fiore knew that they were intimidating her, but she would not let them scare her. As a Valencian, she would stand her ground, even in a foreign country.

"...Likewise," She responded snarkly. Hein nodded as well.

The continued silence was unbearable, so much that Prompto couldn't take it anymore.

"Geez," He let out a false yawn and stretched his arms in the air, "It's getting late... We should probably set up camp soon."

"Camp...?" Fiore asked.

"Problem?" Gladiolus crossed his arms and smirked.

"I... was never too fond of camping."

"This girl's never stepped out of her little bubble... Figured. Well, welcome to the real world, then. Where we don't get to choose where we sleep all the time."

"We'll stop here. Even though the plan was to travel without any breaks in between... But it is getting dark," Ignis parked the car off to the side of the road and pointed towards the rocky terrain.

"Wait, wait!" Prompto pulled out his camera, "This is a perfect spot for a group photo! Noct! Wake up!"

"...Hmmm...?" Noctis rubbed his eyes, "What'd I miss?"

"Oh, nothing important. Here, go over there with Gladio and Rocky over here!"

"Rocky...?" Hein scratched his head then snapped his fingers, "Oh! He means me! Very 'punny' of you, Prompto!"

Both Hein and Prompto laughed whie Gladio put a hand over his head because of Prompto's awful pun. Noctis shrugged, got out of the car, and shifted lazily towards the Gladio and Hein who was already out of the car. Prompto then noticed that Fiore and Hein were still sitting in the car; her arms crossed. Slightly irritated, Ignis decided to open the car door for her. It was rather a kind gesture, considering she was a 'lady,' but Fiore perked her nose up and pouted.

"I didn't need your help... I can open a car door," She said irritably.

"Yes... quite," Ignis replied bluntly.

Prompto waved to the two, "Iggy! Fiore! We're waiting!"

Fiore walked ahead of Ignis to which he simply sighed. Now since everyone was in the range of the photo, Prompto set the timer.

"OK! Everybody ready?"

_Snap!_

"Oh! Absolutely love that pose, Fiore!" Prompto called. It was a regular group photo, with the exception of Fiore doing an obscure pose. The rest of the group seemed puzzled... What the actual hell was she doing?

"And do you mind if I call you FiFi?" Prompto asked with a puppy-dog expression.

 _With every bone in my body..._ She thought, but then she giggled, "...Of course, Prompto!"

Truthfully, she hated being called FiFi, but since she liked Prompto she'll let it pass. And thus, the team would set up camp for tonight, however, a thought occurred to Ignis that with someone like Fiore around, it may prove to be more troublesome than ever.


	2. Fireside Chat

_**Fireside** **Chat**_

It was a tranquil evening for the four friends plus their two new guests. Gladiolus was to set up the tent as usual while Noctis and Prompto brought out the extra supplies from the Regalia's trunk. Meanwhile, Ignis double checked the cooking table to see if all the utensils were in tip-top condition. Once this was complete, he snapped his fingers and began to cook. Hein also helped by lighting the campfire with his rough hands and Fiore watched as the men were at work. To pass the time, she pulled out her miniature sketchbook from her bag flipped through the pages to find a blank canvas. She studied and sketched the area around her, starting with Prompto and Noctis.

As young as she can remember, Fiore treasured her sketchbook as much as she did life itself. Actually, she highly valued artistry in all forms as they came partly because Valencia's rich culture cherished creativity and talent. The book's contents ranged from childish doodles to skilled rough drafts, speaking of which after a while of pencil scribbling she was almost finished with the portraits.

 ** _Bene!_** She nodded in approval, admiring her progress.

"...Miss Rozen," a voice called as it came closer.

Startled, Fiore quickly closed her sketchbook and glanced over her shoulder. She scoffed haughtily one Ignis was in her sights.

"A moment of your time?" Ignis asked.

"What do you want?" Fiore demanded, "Here to call me the 'Enemy of State' now?"

Ignis shook his head in annoyance before handing her a platter of food, "Here. Take one."

Fiore glared at the dish and then at him. It was some sort of soft cake in the shape of a slice with a dash of whipped cream on the top. She wasn't so sure if she should take one because, for all she knew, he could've poisoned it; however, it was quite considerate of him to offer her dessert.

"I've reflected upon my previous statement I made in the car," Ignis continued, "And I apologize for the accusation earlier. It wasn't just of me to suddenly question your nationality. I am tasked to look after His Majesty, so I must inquire everything with prudence."

Her cold stare relaxed faintly. She wouldn't expect him to apologize to her out of the blue, let alone offer her food.

She wasn't entirely sure but she took the cake slowly, "... I forgive you, then. And I'm sorry for snapping at you and calling you a 'Chauffer.'"

"It's fine. Let's just start over. A proper introduction is in order," He put his hand out, "Ignis Scientia, His Highness' bodyguard."

Fiore hesitated, but eventually shook his hand, albeit slowly, "Fiore. Fiore Rozen. Foreigner. Pleased to be acquainted."

"Likewise," Ignis replied.

It was an awkward handshake, but nevertheless a meaningful one and despite his cool stare from his glasses, Fiore had to admit he was somewhat handsome.

"Ah, so I was correct. You are foreigner," Ignis deducted, "Your accent makes it a bit obvious. No offence."

"And I would have mistook you for one as well," replied Fiore.

"Like Gladio said, I come from a rather different region of Lucis," Ignis crossed his arms, "And on that note, why is a foreigner like yourself here in Lucis?"

Even though it seemed like a friendly conversation, Fiore knew that Ignis was still interrogating her. She had to be wise with her words, else she'd reveal herself.

"Well, to simply put it," she explained, "I moved to Lucis because my own country is at war with itself. The details are obscure to me, but I can say that I won't be returning anytime soon."

Fiore walked around the vicinity in silence with her cake in hand, "Prior to arriving in Lucis, I was unaware that your nation was also gripped in war... this time with the Imperial Army."

She took a bit of the cake and just then her eyes dilated, " _Gianncco_!"

"Hm?" Ignis raised an eyebrow.

"This cake... It's amazing! _Muah_! _Muah_! Baked to perfection!" Fiore felt as though she has tasted heaven.

"I haven't eaten anything like this in years! All this tacky snacking... But I must know who made this?"

"I baked that cake," Ignis bluntly replied.

"Oh, well... it's pretty decent," She tried to act unimpressed, "But I have tasted better... I bet I could bake a better one."

"Oh, I believe you can," the sarcasm was emphasized in his voice, "Maybe one day you'll show me your 'cooking prowess.'"

"Maybe I should cook right now since you're giving me sass," Fiore crossed her arms and perked her nose up to scoff.

"And you have the audacity to say I'm the sassy one..." Ignis shook his head, "But since you're so eager, wake up early tomorrow."

Fiore peered her eyes. She wasn't one to wake up early, yet it was a chance to show him up... Let Specs have his cake and eat it too. "Challenge accepted!"

Ignis did not expect for Fiore to accept the task, but it wouldn't hurt to watch her prepare the food, besides he could leave the cooking to someone else for a change (hopefully).

"Fine, but we've strayed off topic. Now, about Altissia..."

"Now wait just a moment," she placed her finger on his lip, "You've been asking a lot of questions lately..."

She thought of asking some questions of her own like why is the Prince alive when the media claimed he was dead, but that was easier said than done.

"That is only because I must take as many precautions as possible," he took Fiore's hand away.

Fiore attempted to hold back her anger, "Oh, you are so lucky that I'm in no mood to hurt you... Well, if you must know, Hein insisted that my safety would be secured in Accordo."

"Hmmm... Understandable," Ignis retorted, "After all, Valencia is currently engaged in civil war as of now."

In an instant, Fiore's face went sweat ran down her cheeks, _He_ _saw_ _right_ _through_ _me_!

"I was right... You are a Valencian," Ignis adjusted his glasses.

Fiore turned her back towards him. He may have deduced that she was a Valencian, but she doesn't think that he's aware of her royal heritage.

_Just play along for now. As long as he doesn't know you're the Marquee, you can still get away with it._

"Fine," she calmly said, "You're right. I am a Valencian. So?"

"Confirmation," Ignis pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Fiore, "And please eat decently..."

Fiore snatched the handkerchief from his hand, "Hmph! What are you? My mother?"

"Thank Ramuh I'm not," He replied.

"Let me rephrase then: You're basically the Prince's butler, a servant to his beck and call. All you need is the proper attire."

A smug smile curled around Fiore's cheeks, however, Ignis was not fond of her comment. His eyebrow twitched slightly and a feeling of indignation burned within him. Just one stab in her stomach would suffice...

All the while, Noctis and company witnessed the 'chat' unfold between Fiore and Ignis, although it was difficult to hear.

"Wonder what they're on about," Prompto said, eating at his food.

"Can't believe she's holding down a conversation with Iggy," Gladiolus continued.

Noctis laid back in his seat, "Well you know what they say, guys with glasses-"

"Noct, don't you dare say it!" Prompto cried out.

The three kept quiet for a bit, with Prompto scowling at Noctis.

"...Get asses. Fight me, Prompto."

"Ahhh!" Prompto flipped from his chair, but unfortunately, he fell flat on his face.

Gladiolus turned away, "Bullshit..."

Noctis only shrugged, getting a good laugh from Prompto's reaction.

Meanwhile Ignis and Fiore were condescending one another, until Ignis sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"I have no time for these childish games..." he mumbled irritably, "Excuse me."

He took his leave, but not before stopping, turning around, and placing a hand over his chest, "But I am 'delighted' to have this talk with you, Miss Rozen... And my condolences for your late king and country. It's very painful to lose a monarch."

And with that, Ignis left, but Fiore was dumbfounded... _Late_ king?

_Father... is dead?_

Her entire world fell into despair. How could this be? How could someone like her father be dead? She was in denial, but melancholy and grief seeped in; her heart ached and tears welled up in her eyes. She clenched her teeth and rolled her fists, not wanting to cry, but the took a toll on her. Looking upward towards the sky, Fiore fixed her gaze at at the deep blue sky sprinkled with bright stars.

_Why...? Why must this happen?_

She asked the gods for answers, but no response obviously.

 _No_! _No_... _I_ _refuse_ _to_ _accept_ _this_! _Father_ _cannot_ _be_ _dead_! _Not_ _now_! Despite the possible odds, Fiore wouldn't assume the latter.

"FiFi!" Prompto called, "Are you alright over there?"

Hearing Prompto, she wiped away her tears and took a deep breath.

"...I'm fine." She didn't look at any of them when saying that, "...Nothing to worry about."

She donned her head, picked up her sketchbook, and sat alone away from the campgrounds, lost in her thoughts. She opened her sketchbook again to a new blank canvas and started to draw again. Funny that this new sketch was looking a lot like Ignis...

Unbeknownst to any of them, two figures stood above higher ground keeping their distance.

" _There_ _they_ _are_. _The_ _Lucian_ _Prince_ _and_ _the_ _Valencian_ _Marquee_... _I_ _knew_ _she_ _was_ _hiding_ _in_ _Lucis_..." It was a groggy-looking man with an eyepatch, kneeling.

" _Killing_ _two_ _birds_ _with_ _one_ _stone_..." And an eerily-armored dragoon woman, standing.

_"No. Not yet. We have to keep them alive. Else we won't get paid."_

_"Gathering intel is a pain in the ass..."_

_"I know, 'but when you're tryin' to make a living, there ain't no such thing as pride...' I'd except you to know that, Miss Highwind."_

"... _Don't_ _patronize_ _me_."

_"I'm not, but for the most part, initial reconnaissance is finished. Reporting this back to the Imperial Chancellor."_

_"I can't believe we have to follow them, but follow the money as they always say."_

_"Exactly! Besides, there's a huge warrant on the Marquee if found alive... And I ain't gonna miss out on a potential load of cash."_

_"Can't argue there, but we're done here. Let's go. Don't want to stay here any longer."_

_"...Lead the way."_

And thus, the two figures vanished into the night _._


	3. Clash De Chocobo

_**Clash**_ _**de**_ **_Chocobo_**

Fiore awoke early in the morning as Ignis said. Though she complained, she was not one to let an opportunity go missed. She also remembered that she was sleeping in a separate tent ("four guys and one girl in a single tent spelled trouble," as Hein suggested).

She was still distraught over last night's revelation of her father being dead, but she wouldn't believe such lies until she saw it for herself. In the meantime, the blue-haired girl yawned and exited her tent stretching.

"Oh, how I loathe camping..." She mumbled while dusting the dirt off her dress.

She arrived at the cooking station, where Ignis was already there scavenging around.

"Morning, Four-Eyes," Fiore greeted drowsily, "I'm up as you wanted."

She expected an answer or a witty remark, but instead Ignis was still muttering something under his breath.

"My spectacles... the foul thief!"

"What?" Fiore asked.

"My glasses! They're gone!" Ignis snapped at her, turning around to face her.

He was right. He wasn't wearing his glasses. Fiore took a good look at Ignis and concluded that he looked different without them. He actually looked kind of cute without them.

"...Well, perhaps you misplaced them," She suggested, "and if it makes you feel any better, I'll help you find them."

"No, I didn't misplace them," Ignis replied.

"Then... What happened dare I ask?"

"I was merely preparing breakfast when a black chocobo approached me. I offered it the leftovers when suddenly it head-butted me, took my glasses, and bolted."

That explained the visible bruise on his forehead. There was silence between the both of them until Fiore let out a giggle then a hysterical laugh.

"Outsmarted by a chocobo? Oh my... this is just hilarious... my sides..."

"It's not funny," Ignis replied sternly, "We must retrieve them at once!"

To Fiore, she didn't feel obliged to aid Ignis, but she's never seen a live chocobo before. Who knows? It could be fun finding one.

She smiled, "Alright. I'll help you. But you'll owe me one after this. And I'm still going to cook this morning."

"Fine, that is if my spectacles are in once piece," he agreed to the terms.

"Alright," Fiore mused, "We're going chocobo hunting!"

Ignis thought it probably wasn't the best idea to rely on Fiore for this kind of task. She may prove to be a useless asset if they were to find the chocobo, but if he were to wake Noctis or anyone else for that matter, the chocobo would've been gone without a trace. He had to make due with what was available. He had to put some faith in Fiore.

"The fowl went off in this direction. We'll follow its trail," he ordered.

And with that, Ignis and Fiore traversed into the dense forest. Fiore followed behind Ignis, but Fiore found it surprising that he could still find his way through the area without his glasses. She figured him to be blind without them, but that injury he sustained must have hurt.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Fiore asked, "You look a little lightheaded..."

"I'm fine. Just focus on the task at hand," he replied, but Ignis then and placed a hand over the injury.

He wasn't fine. He was in pain and Fiore knew that. Rather than to let him suffer in silence, she decided to act.

She catched up to him and grabbed his shoulder, "Stop. Just stop and let me do something about that injury. It looks ugly."

Ignis shooed her hand away from him, "I said I was fine."

"And I say you're not. The next minute you'll pass out without warning. Just... hold on a minute!"

He glared at her, but she returned the stare. He he knew she wasn't going to let him go like this; stubbornness and persistency seemed to be her "best flaws." He sighed and let her have her way, "Be quick about it."

"I intend to," Fiore placed two fingers on his forehead and closed her eyes. Her blue eyes faded to a golden yellow once she opened her eyes and the sun-shaped birthmark glowed again. Ignis could feel his pain numbing away; he was astonished, left without words.

Once she was finished, Fiore pulled her hand away, her eyes returned to her royal blue hue, and the birthmark's light faded away.

"You're welcome," she said shaking her hand.

Ignis held his head. The pain was gone, "How did you...?"

"Oh, this?" her hand began to glow, "Well it's a long story, and we do have a chocobo to chase down, so let's not get sidetracked!"

With a swipe of her hand, the glowing ceased and she motioned Ignis to lead the way. His curiosity was peaked, but finding his spectacles was a top priority. It was just a few more meters up ahead until they arrived in an area that was less compact save for a few rocks placed here and there.

"There's the perpetrator!" Ignis exclaimed.

Walking around a nearby pond was a black chocobo left alone to itself. In its beak was Ignis's glasses.

"So we found the 'bird-brained burglar.' I'd never thought I'd see a chocobo up close!" Excitement came over Fiore. She wished she brought her sketchbook along to capture the moment.

"Yes, indeed. But this is no time for gawking," Ignis was about to touch his temples, but alas he remembered he didn't have his glasses, "I have a plan. I brought along some gysahl greens to lure in the chocobo."

"You came prepared... I should've seen it coming," Fiore said, summoning her bow, "But I have a better idea."

Startled, Ignis lowered her bow, "We will handle this in a non-nihilistic manner."

"I'm not going to kill it. I'm only going to stun it. I'm in good range by the looks of it, so I think I can get a shot in."

"You think?" Ignis asked.

"I don't think. I know," Fiore responded with poise.

She was confident in her abilities, perhaps overconfident, but convinced that she could stun the chocobo. Fiore raised her ivory bow and pulled back on the string. The tail of the arrow then appeared between her fingertips. She aimed towards the chocobo, locked in a state of concentration. Ignis was dumbfounded by her sudden shift. Though Ignis desired to retrieve his glasses without harm done to the chocobo, he knew how hostile this particular chocobo was and he would trust in Fiore's capabilities.

He stood behind Fiore, placing his hand on her shoulder while the other one pointed to the chocobo, "Try not to aim for the vital areas."

"I know that," she said irritably.

Deep silence filled the forest aside from the typical environmental noises. The chocobo was still unaware of their presence, however, it raised its head up to smell the air.

 _The_ _gysahl_ _greens!_ Ignis thought, _It_ _can_ _smell_ _the_ _gysahl_ _greens_!

The chocobo then looked towards their direction and raised its wings, cawing at them.

"Blast! It spotted us!" Ignis gasped.

Startled, Fiore shot without a second thought. The arrow beamed through the chocobo's wing and the black bird cawed in agony. Nevertheless, it began to charge at the two with blistering fury.

"Look out!"

Ignis pulled Fiore out of the chocobo's way, but it turned around ready to strike again.

Ignis looked down at Fiore, "Are you alright?"

"Barely... I thought chocobos were supposed to be friendly!" She looked up at him, then looked away. Their faces were just too close for her liking, "I hope you have a plan!"

"I do, I do... We must split up for now. I'll be the distraction while you swoop in and retrieve my glasses."

"Are you crazy? You'll get killed!" She stood up and faced towards the angry chocobo in a battle stance, "I'll take on the chocobo. It's after me since I shot it! You should go and get your glasses back!"

Ignis was about to argue with her, but the chocobo screeched again, preparing to dash. He grunted but he knew that Fiore was right: it would more than likely charge at her than him since she was the one who shot it.

"I will not be too long!"

"I hope not!"

While Ignis ran, Fiore summoned her bow again and quickly pulled an arrow while the chocobo dashed again and she shot at its wing again, but she missed. Ignis noticed that she wasn't trying to kill the chocobo but rather stuck with the plan to stun it. She shot one after another but she kept missing with each shot.

_I can't hit it with this kind of speed...!_

The chocobo nearly rammed into her and she dodged to the side again, but unfortunately the chocobo managed to wound her shoulder with its beak. It tore through her white bolero and gashed her shoulder. She wailed in pain and held her bleeding shoulder. The black bird tried to eat her bolero whole but it spat it out, saliva and other disgusting details littered all over it. She knelt to the floor as the pain was overbearing and the chocobo scraped the floor with its feet. This time, it rushed with its feathers flailing as it was going to inflict a furry of attacks on her. Fear and hopelessness befell her... all she could do was to hold her head and scream.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaasssssssshhhhhhhh!"

Suddenly, the chocobo fell tumbling across the floor. It cawed out in pain, attempting to move it's now-severed leg.

"Hmmm... This has certainly been more trouble than its worth..."

Ignis pushed up his glasses, although the lens were cracked. He was a bit upset, but he kept his composure still. Also, he was holding a pair of daggers, one of them had black feathers sticking to it.

Fiore ceased the screaming, "... Ignis!"

"Fiore..." Ignis rushed to her side.

"T-took you long enough!" and after all this, she still pouted like the petty little princess she was.

He placed a hand over her bloodied shoulder, "I'm sorry. Sorry for dragging you along, truly I am. I didn't expect this to happen..."

Fiore shifted her eyes away from him, "Of course you didn't."

"Can you stand?"

"...Yes, I think so."

Ignis stood up and gave out his hand for Fiore to take. She took his hand and rose up with his help.

"Your glasses... I think I can fix them," she said.

"You should be healing yourself," replied Ignis sternly.

Fiore chuckled softly, "I wish I could... but I can't. It's just the law of the 'trade-off.'"

"...'Trade-off?'"

Fiore walked ahead of him, still holding her arm, "'If you are to gain, you are to lose.' I can heal people and manipulate the surroundings around me... but at a price. The inability to heal myself is one."

"Then when you healed me..."

"Yes, Four-Eyes. I 'took' away your pain, but in return I had to endure that pain. That is the Cycle of the Vie..." Fiore held the back of her neck as the birthmark burned slightly.

_It's a curse... A curse that has haunted my family for generations..._

"It must be such a burden to carry..." Ignis said solemnly.

Fiore sighed and walked over to the black chocobo, "It is, but that's life... c'est la vie..."

She put her other hand over the chocobo's head. Once again her hand glowed and the chocobo's eyes closed. It's leg and wings were no longer injured. Despite it hurting her and ruining her clothes, she considered that it was merely afraid and it wasn't right to leave it in critical condition.

"There... it should be moving by tomorrow."

However, the gash on her shoulder only worsened, causing a deeper cut. She whimpered quietly and gripped her arm tighter. Just then, Fiore could feel a warm presence around her. Startled, she looked around only to notice Ignis putting his jacket over her.

"I'll care for the wound once we return to camp," he said calmly behind her ear.

Her cheeks flushed a light pink before storming off, "...Hmph!"

He only sighed, adjusted his damaged glasses, and followed her back to camp.

"What a peculiar way to start the day..."


	4. Encounter with the Empire

> **_Encounter with the Empire_ **

"Hold still."

Fiore gritted her teeth as the wet cloth came in contact with her fair skin. With every touch, she winced fearfully and pulled her arm away from Ignis, he himself grew irritated by her sudden movements.

"Can you at least be gentle?" she asked irritably.

Ignis sighed, "So spoiled..."

She wasn't making the pain any easier on herself. Since she stated that she couldn't heal herself, Ignis took it upon himself to treat the deep cut on her shoulder. Unfortunately, she pulled her arm away from him when he attempted to clean the wound. He was just about ready to give up and return to his cooking, but he couldn't help but to aid Fiore. She could heal others with her powers, but she couldn't heal herself, even if she tried. This was the 'trade-off,' the price she had to pay. He was ridden with some form of guilt and pity; and even though he didn't enjoy her company that much, she was somewhat useful in getting his glasses back.

"... Thank you, " Ignis twisted the towel, not looking at Fiore, "for helping me retrieve my spectacles back. I greatly appreciate it."

Fiore looked at him for a brief moment, then she put her other hand over her lips and snickered arrogantly, "Of course! Did you really expect anything less?"

Ignis shook his head and pushed up his glasses as a response and he tightened the tourniquet, "There. Finished."

In truth, Fiore was grateful for what he was doing for her, she just didn't know how to express it considering that she still had a slight disdain for him. Ignis shared parallels with her caretakers like Hein when she was a child, always taking care of her when needed. He would have been an efficient servant to have by her side (aside from Hein, of course).

"You're glasses are still broken..."

"Yes, I'm aware..."

"Don't worry. I got this!" She took his glasses off, starting Ignis, then 'fixed' them. Once again, the golden yellow aura appeared around her hands and the cracks between the lens faded away. She was about to put his glasses back on but she stopped in her tracks, getting a good look at his face.

"Hmmm... Have you ever considered getting contacts? I think you'd look stunning without your glasses."

"I have, but never again," Ignis leaned in and took back his glasses.

Little did he know that once he put his glasses on, he was fairly close to Fiore's face whose cheeks reddened. This alarmed Ignis so he quickly tried to turn away from her, however, he felt something warm under his palm. It was Fiore's hand, her black lace-accented glove under his sequin driving glove. He meant to move his hand _backward_ , not _forward_. Flustered, he could barely move and his cheeks flushed a shade of pink while Fiore leaned in a bit more. Her eyelids lowered slightly as did his surprisingly.

_Was this a coincidence? Was it fate? Was it...?_

_Snap!_

"Oh, this one's a keeper!"

Prompto... of all the luck in the world... The bubbly blonde took a photo of the two just when they were about to... share a moment. Ignis glared at Prompto with that "I swear to Shiva, I am going to murder you" kind of face meanwhile Fiore shrieked out of embarrassment. Suddenly, Gladiolus came out of nowhere and tackled Prompto then held him in a headlock. Noctis later awoke from the tent and asked what was happening.

"Noct... gah! Help!" Prompto was losing consciousness.

Noctis backed away slowly. He wanted to help, but this was Gladiolus. Noctis asked Fiore and Ignis what happened to them, to which he received a response in unison. Fiore turned away from Ignis and he did the same. She pouted while he pushed up his glasses. However, a slight shade of pink remained on their cheeks, Fiore's being more prevalent. Hein took up the cooking for today, but he couldn't help but to snicker at the group.

Afterward, the crew ate, packed up the camping gear, and once again hit the road for Altissia. Fiore conversed with Gladiolus and Noctis. She shared a lot of common ground with Noctis and came to terms with Gladiolus and his survivalist nature. He seemed to be a big fan of Cup Noodles, something she's never had before.

"Sounds delicious... I should try some someday," Fiore said, rubbing her chin.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck – the sun-shaped birthmarkshinedd dimly like a signal and it burned like hot coals clashing her skin. She felt unusually hot, yet she could feel the cool breeze brush against her face. Fragments of her dreams blinked through her mind again and a faint male whisper cryptically.

" _Flower_. _Pendant_. _Lion_. _Devour_. _Sun_ … _Sol_ …"

 _Sol_ … _Soleanna_? _The_ _capital_? She thought but before she could deduce the message, Fiore held her head in agony. Images flashed through her head at breakneck speed, each one distorted and blurred than the previous. She wanted to scream but she was unable to produce even the smallest yelp. She wished for someone to save her from her internal torture before she fell apart.

"… Fiore…?"

She jumped up and screamed with horror once Prompto placed his hand on her shoulder. Prompto flinched and retreated quickly as did the rest of the crew. Ignis stepped on the break, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Fiore stared at them with a face that looks as though it been to Hell and back.

"... Are you alright?" Noctis asked.

Fiore came back to her senses, yet it took her a moment to respond. Finally, she took a deep breath. "I'm fine… Just… Had an 'episode.'"

"You get headaches too?" Noctis replied. He couldn't help but to relate.

Fiore nodded, "Yes, I've had these 'episodes' since I was little. They've only grown worse since I came to this country."

"Must be the climate…" Gladiolus suggested.

"Perhaps…" She replied quietly.

She lied because she didn't want the boys to fret over her and moreover she loathed pity from anyone. To Fiore, pity indicated a sign of weakness and doubt... a reflection of her previous self. She closed her eyes and shook her head at this notion. Ignis continued to drive again. Several more miles until they reached the Duscae region.

Then it happened.

The car stopped.

The gas tank read 'empty.'

"Sorry..." Noctis said, "Forgot to fill the tank..."

"NOCTIS!" The amount of rage was unexplainable that day.

Pushing the car another five to ten miles to the next gas station would take more time than expected. Noctis, Prompto, and Gladiolus were to push the car leaving Ignis and Fiore in the car.

"Enjoying yourselves up there?" sarcasm and anger could be heard in Gladiolus's voice.

"Why yes! Thank you, Gladdy!" Fiore winked at him, earning her a death stare from him.

"Well, we could've reached our destination if it weren't for someone forgetting to get gas once we left," Ignis explained, glaring at Noctis.

"Yeah... Thanks a lot, Noct..." Prompto groaned.

"I didn't mean to forget. We're all human, right?" Noctis asked. No one answered.

Eventually, Ignis turned on the radio again because Prompto was on his endless rant about how they had to push the car. The radio was still on the news station with a new announcement:

_"Yesterday night marked the conference between of Imperial Chancellor Ardyn Izunia of Niflheim and Prime Minister Rene Anatole in Valencia. After hours of discussion, the Prime Minister has issued a statement that he would secede the country's independence to the Empire."_

Fiore's eyes widened, "What?!"

_"Since the country's king is no longer in commission, this leaves the Prime Minister to head the country until "further notice." Since then, Valencia's violent Civil War has come to a temporary ceasefire between the two sides and the Niflheim Empire is currently occupying the country. Valencia's fallen government appears to be rebuilding itself and the Prime Minister also stated that 'Cooperation is key to keeping a country standing.'_

_In other news, there have been sightings of-"_

Fiore turned off the radio immediately. she didn't want to hear it anymore. How could the Prime Minister do this? Why was he doing this? Fiore knew Anatole was better than this; like her father, Anatole would rather see the country fall on its own accord than let it go to the hands of the Empire. Just what the hell is going on?

"Why would Anatole..." Fiore lowered her head and stopped. All this was just too much for her to take. First, her father's untimely death, and now Valencia will fall into the hands of the enemy? She placed a hand over her eyes, not wanting to cry but the urge was great.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world, FiFi," Prompto assured her.

"You're right... it's not the end of the world, but it's the end of mine..."

Prompto frowned; he wished he could do something to make her happy again, but with news like this coming through it was nearly impossible not to lament.

"Things... Will get better," Noctis said. There was not much he could do either but to cheer her up.

"The Empire is expanding..." Ignis muttered under his breath.

"Great. Just what we need... and here we are dragging our asses across the road," groaned Gladiolus.

Fiore gripped her dress; she was trying so hard not to break down into tears, then she felt a warm leather hand over over her shoulder.

"There isn't much we can do now, but all we can do is to hope for the best."

Ignis looked towards Fiore and nodded, like he was sure of himself. In truth he wasn't, but he couldn't just sit there while she anguished over her losses. Just like Noctis, Fiore became his responsibility now.

"Yeah! Once Lucis is saved, we'll help your kingdom out! That's a promise!" Prompto placed his free hand on Fiore's other shoulder.

Noctis faintly smiled and nodded and Gladiolus gave a thumbs up. At this point, Fiore couldn't stop the tears. She cried but she cried of happiness. At least she had something to look forward to. Having hope was better than drowning in despair.

"... Thank you... Thank you all..." she stammered. Ignis couldn't help but to smile faintly.

Suddenly, Hein pointed ahead, "Roadblock!"

The car came to a halt as the Imperials were ahead, blocking the road. A dragoon woman and a man with an eyepatch stood in front.

"Hello there~!"

And speak of the Devil, "Imperial Chancellor?!"


	5. Of Secrets and Schemes

**_Of Secrets and Schemes_ **

"Imperial Chancellor!?"

The group was in utter shock and dismay to see the Nifflheim statesman and his technological army obstructing the road. This wasn't the first time the boys encountered Ardyn Izunia. They had hoped that their previous encounter in Galdin Quay would hopefully be the last time they'd see him, but no. The friendly fiend had appeared again and just when the Regalia lacked any fuel.

Ardyn outstretched his arms towards the group with a warm smile, "Well isn't this a pleasant surprise!"

"Yeah... Fancy meeting you here..." Noctis tried to sound friendly.

He, Prompto, and Gladiolus stood there ground while Ignis exited the Regalia. He told Fiore to stay within the confines of the car and she should not come out no matter what the circumstances were. She responded bitterly saying that Ignis was in no position to tell her what to do, but Hein insisted that it was probably better to keep their distance from the impending tension.

"It's for your own safety, Milady," he leaned in close to her ear, "The last thing we want is the Imperials to learn of your existence as Marquee..."

"Tch!" Fiore crossed her arms. This was a vexing matter; after all it was the Imperial Chancellor. She had a handful of choice words to say to him and they weren't pleasant.

"Yay... its our favorite creep," Prompto tried not to sound sarcastic.

"What business do you have here?" Ignis commanded.

Ardyn cupped his cheeks, "Oh! Nothing too important, I assure you."

Blasphemy! They weren't going to take Ardyn's word for it. Sure, he's aided them on several occasions, but still he was the enemy since he revealed himself as the chancellor.

"I don't believe that for a second," Noctis growled.

"But really, I mean no harm..." Ardyn put his hands up slightly.

"Then what's with the roadblock?" Gladiolus crossed his arms.

Ardyn shrugged his shoulders while the mysterious eye-patched man pointed to the Regalia. He whispered something into the ear of the dragoon woman and she in response raised an eyebrow. He nodded as though he was sure of his statement, but she still rolled her eyes and strolled up to Ardyn.

"That's her," she said bluntly, "The 'Marquee.' Cyclops said so."

The man covered his eye, "Okay... First, I am not a cyclops, Miss Highwind. Secondly, that's her all right. _La_ _Marquee_ _de_ _la_ _Valencia_... Lady Fiore Rozen Blanchard."

In that moment was when everyone's sights were set on Fiore. The blue-haired girl shuddered in her seat and gripped the tourniquet in fear. Hein panicked, desperately thinking of a cleaver lie, but to no avail-- he was at a loss for words.

" _Moi_? _La_ _Marquee_?" Fiore asked nervously, " _Oh_ , _non_ - _non_ - _non_ - _non_ - _non!!_ I believe you have the wrong girl!"

"Yes, yes! Indeed!" Hein blurted.

Unfortunately, everyone's expressions said otherwise. She was receiving suspicious stares from everyone, including the Chocobros. She then glared at the man with the eye patch and by judging from his accent, he must have been a Valencian. This brought even more chills down her spine. How could he have known of her existence?

"Are you sure about that, my one-eyed friend?" Ardyn asked.

The man nodded, "I had my doubts, but my sources never cease to fail me."

"So my intuition was correct... She is endowed with royal ranks," Ignis said quietly.

So, she's a princess?" Prompto looked at Fiore, "Dang... should've seen that coming."

"Explains the way she acts," Gladiolus said.

Noctis was still surprised; he could say no more.

A mix of fear and anger overtook Fiore all the while Ardyn gleefully winced towards Fiore, to which she returned a disgusted glare. He disregarded the boys for a brief minute whilst placing his attention towards the young girl.

"Don't fret, Mademoiselle Marquee," Ardyn mused, "Your country is safe with the Empire. The prime minister will be elated to know that your still alive and well."

" _Bastardino_..." Fiore mumbled under her breath while she exited the Regalia, much to Ignis's dismay. Hein tried to stop her, but it was all too late.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Ardyn took off his hat and bowed, "Izunia. Ardyn Izunia. A pleasure."

Both his subordinates rolled their eyes at his 'polite introduction.' Fiore was still flabbergasted, but regardless she knew she had to keep her head high and stay calm. Fear is a weakness and there was strength in confidence as her father would say.

"You can cease the pleasantries..." She attempted to respond in a kind voice.

"Very well then... Fiore, was i-"

"You will address me as _Marquee_ _Blanchard_ as a commoner like you has no god-given right to utter my name," She flipped her hair, scoffing at him.

"Oh, but you are still a rose by any other name, my dear."

 _Look_ _at_ _him_... _trying_ _to_ _finesse_ , Prompto thought.

"Hmph!" Fiore pouted. Although Ardyn seemed to act like a fine gentleman, she was not the least bit convinced, "Listen to me and listen well, Chancellor Izunia. You will tell your troops to pull out of my motherland."

Ardyn chuckled a bit. He was baffled by Fiore's demands and it was somewhat hilarious that she, a naïve pompous little princess, would attempt to play the game of politics. It was obvious to him that Fiore had not the first clue of how to negotiate. He pitied her, so he merely smiled.

"My dear, I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, the empire must expand: command and conquer. Besides the Prime Minister ceded the country and for good reasons."

The Chancellor put up a finger, "One, he knew your country couldn't afford entering in yet another war. And two, he would cede the lands to the Empire in exchange for the Marquee's life."

"Meaning..." Fiore's heart sank.

"They've been tracking you since," Ignis finished.

"And it's all thanks to my wonderful subordinates Aranea Highwind and our newest asset, Rydline Phantasm," Ardyn said gleefully.

Aranea crossed her arms while Rydline bowed, "Please. Call me Ridley, your ladyship."

Fiore was in disbelief. For these four years she and Hein were sure that no one knew of Fiore's identity, but the Empire has been keeping a close eye on her since her arrival to Lucis. She also realized that they practically used her as a collateral to pressure Anatole to give up the country's freedom to the Nifflheim Empire. This act of deception; the level of underhanded schemes enveloped the Marquee in untamed rage.

Arden reached his hand to touch her cheek, "Awww, don't be like that. We don't intend to hu--"

_Slap!_

Fiore backhanded Ardyn. This caught everyone off guard as no one would have thought of her to suddenly resort to physical violence, let alone to inflict said violence on the Imperial Chancellor of all people. The sheer force was so hard, even Prompto and Noctis shuddered slightly.

"You scumbag of a man! How dare you touch me!" She raised her hand again, "I hope you and your godforsaken Empire burn in hell!"

She began to curse Ardyn in her native language and she raised her hand again but before she could slap him, Ardyn caught her hand and gripped her wrist. Though he was smiling, the pressure he put on Fiore's hand said otherwise.

"Now, now... let's not end this in bloodshed."

Fiore struggled to escape his grasp but to no avail. His grip was strong, strong enough to break her wrist. Fiore felt a dark, looming aura emanating from his hand, a force that screamed true malice.

"Let me go!"

Suddenly, another hand grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her away from Ardyn's grip. It was Gladiolus who yanked her out of there and the others came to her side; they were prepared to strike, even if they were outnumbered. However instead of an all-out offensive on the Imperial's part, Ardyn told the soldiers to lower their weapons. He held the side of his face where Fiore slapped him; it wasn't that painful, but still.

"... A rose with thorns, I see," he said backing away, "Nonetheless, a beautiful one, like the lovely Lady Lunafreya."

Noctis took a step forward once Ardyn uttered Luna's name, but Ignis put his hand out in front of him and nodded in disapproval. Noctis grunted but listened to his friend. Aranea then signaled to Ardyn that they no longer need to be here and that they are needed somewhere else.

Ardyn sighed, "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I am a very busy man with a very tight schedule. But, I assure you, I will be seeing you all soon. Farewell for now, Young Prince... and Young Princess."

And with that, the Imperial ships carried the Chancellor and others off. Ridley and Ardyn however gave a friendly send-off before leaving. The roadblock was cleared; they could proceed once more. Once they were out of sight, Fiore turned around; she dared not to look at the boys because she knew they were bound to ask questions and demand answers. She herself was plagued with questions, like why is a Valencian working for the Imperials?

 _A_ _traitor_! _Treason_   _in_   _the_ _highest_ _form!_ She thought.

"So, you're a princess?" Noctis asked, "Well, you sure do act like like one."

"Oh. Em. Gee! She's a real princess! Ummm... uhhh... your other highness!" Prompto bowed, "Don't worry! Your knights in shining armor have arrived with our trusty steed!"

"So, you never bothered to tell us?" Gladiolus asked.

Fiore shook her head and covered her face, " _Non_ _non_ _non_! This was never suppose to happen!"

Gladiolus turned his direction towards Ignis and Ignis returned the stare. He had a palpable idea of what Gladiolus was thinking. As members of the Crownsguard, their sole duty is to protect the royal family of their country, so they are not obliged to protect Fiore even if she is of royal decent. Making sure that Noctis is safe is the first priority.

"Besides, she's like a beacon. They'll track us down as well if we keep her around," Gladiolus reasoned.

"Indeed, but abandoning her seems far too cruel," Ignis replied.

"She'll attract unwanted attention, Iggy."

"Yes, but even if we left her behind, the Imperial Chancellor is aware of us. Rarely anything would have changed..."

Gladiolus still glared at Ignis. Yes, it was cruel to leave Fiore and her servant behind to fend for themselves, they had a duty to fulfill and Gladiolus thought it was odd and out-of-character for Ignis to consider something outside the main spectrum of objectives. He hunch that Ignis was developing feelings towards this girl or perhaps this was a case of morality.

"Once we reach Altissia, we'll part ways from there."

The sheer indifference in Ignis's voice made Gladiolus reconsider his previous thought. Maybe Ignis had no feelings for Fiore or maybe he did, but he wouldn't let it rule his judgement nor cloud his focus. That Ignis, he was a stoic one; rarely does he ever showcase his emotions.

Either way, Gladiolus won't stoop to teasing Ignis. Not yet at least.

"Whatever you say, Iggy," was all he had to say.

Ignis nodded in response the walked up to Fiore, "It may not be in our best interest, but rest assure you, Marquee Blanchard, that we will bring you to Altissia safely. You can count on the Crownsguard."

Ignis actually knelt down to bow to her. This caught her off guard, but Fiore wasn't complaining.

She closed her eyes and sighed, "Even after the fact that I am simply a means for the Empire, you are still willing to aid me."

"Whether you come with us or not is entirely up to you."

Fiore stood silent for a brief time then she held the pendant around her neck and turned to face the group.

"I've already begun my journey with the four of you, so there is no going back now. Besides, who else is going to escort me to Altissia?"

Ignis stood up, "Well, shouldn't waste anymore time. Onward!"

He opened the car door for Fiore and she curtsied towards the kind action. Maybe it wasn't that bad Fiore thought. At least Ignis was treating her more like a princess. Noctis sighed as he, Gladiolus, and Prompto realized they had to push the car again.

Prompto groaned, "Awww... back to pushing... I wanna sit in the car!"

"Get your butt over here and push!" Gladiolus said sternly.

"Let's just hope we find the nearest pit stop..." Noctis murmured.

And so, the group once again were on the road, hoping to find a nearby pit stop.


	6. Conflicted Feelings

_Conflicted Feelings_

Luckily, the crew managed to find a small town with a motel during the day. Though nearly several grueling hours passed, the day was still young so there were things to do. However, Noctis and Prompto were too tired after hauling the Regalia several miles across the region; Prompto retreated to the motel for some rest and Noctis was to follow suit until Ignis reminded him to refill the Regalia, lest he'd forget again. Meanwhile, Gladiolus had just enough energy left for a bit of exploring on his own. Ignis was about to open the car door for Fiore, but she was already out of the car looking around.

"Eh, I prefer Lestallum. I'm not much of a small-town girl," She said.

Ignis paid no mind to her because his focus was on the current quantity of tools they had. Hopefully, they had enough, but knowing Ignis, it was better to be prepared beforehand, "Best to stock up on supplies."

Fiore's eyes sparkled, "Shopping?! Yes, please! Let's see... Ah! I'll need a new bolero, new stockings, maybe a new bag, Oh! And..."

While Fiore went through her mental shopping list, Ignis counted the Gil they currently had. Of course, he wasn't going to spend all their savings on a spoiled little princess and where in Shiva's name were they going to get all this? She was oblivious that they weren't in the big city as well as inconsiderate of the current funds they had.

"...And also... Hey!" Fiore barked at him, "Are you even listening?!"

"Loud and clear," he rolled his eyes.

"No, you are not! You liar!"

Fiore pouted and stormed up to Ignis. She wanted to do something to him like slap him but she couldn't. In fact, one glance at his cool green eyes prompted her to look away from him. She couldn't look him in the eye without her cheeks turning beet red. What was this? Why was she feeling this way? She covered her cheeks in an attempt to conceal her already flushing face. In the distance, Hein could be seen forming a heart sign with his fingers and using it as a frame for the two of them. He seemed quite pleased with his conclusion.

Ignis closed his eyes then he placed a hand over her shoulder, "And here I was expecting her ladyship to backhand me. Just like she did to the Chancellor."

Ignis was wrong when Fiore actually slapped his hand away from her, "Just... buy the supplies already, you cad!"

She ran off, covering her face as she ran inside the motel. Once Ignis was out of her sights, Fiore slumped against the wall unsure of what to do. From her face turning red to the sudden insults, just what was that? Why was she acting like this towards him? She felt her face heating up just by the thought of Ignis. Those eyes though, aloof and serene, eyes that gleamed like emeralds...

_Wait... What am I thinking?! Me, a proper young lady with a low-class bodyguard him? Don't be absurd, Fiore!_

She placed a finger over her lips though and lowered her eyelids, _But still... He is handsome... Gah! No! No! No! You're pathetic if you think in such a way!_

Her mind may have denied it, but her heart was conflicted.

* * *

 

"Ha! Five Aces! Top that!"

"Six aces! Hell yeah!"

Gladiolus slammed his cards on the table, feeling victorious while Prompto threw his cards all over the place reeling over in utter defeat. Noctis lazily threw his cards showing that he had a garbage set of cards compared to his friends. Ignis smiled in his seat while drinking his Ebony coffee. It's been a while since the four of them spent some quality time in a motel- soft warm beds, a working shower- it was the lack of these commodities that made the group realize just how important they really are. What with all the driving, camping, and everything else that's happened, it was nice to unwind and relax even if it was to last for a brief time.

However, throughout most of the day, the Chocobros noticed that Fiore didn't make much of an appearance today. The last time they saw her was when she slammed the door to her room and no one's seen her since.

"Hey, guys," Prompto said as he relaxed, "We haven't seen Fiore since we got here... you think she's alright?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," Gladiolus replied as he picked up the cards.

Noctis looked towards the direction of Ignis, "Alright, Iggy. What'd you do this time?"

"You're asking me? Honestly, I can't even fathom Lady Blanchard and her actions. So impulsive..." Ignis replied bluntly.

"Oi! Good Sirs," Said a voice from the distance. The men turned their attention to the slightly opened door where Hein was sticking his head in, "My apologies to disturb your leisure, but I will be gone for the night."

"Where are you going?" Prompto asked.

"Oh, just going to finish my 'errands.'"

"Now?" Noctis raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it a bit late?"

"Oh, no... It's fine, My Prince. But I'll need someone to watch Milady whilst I'm gone. Would any of you mind stepping in for me?"

Three out of the four men said or did nothing.

Prompto raised his hand like a schoolboy eager to for the teacher to call on him, "Oh! Oh! I'll do it!"

Hein clapped his hands together, "Wonderful! She'll be in the next room, Master Argentum. I'm sure she'll love your company! Well, I'll be off! Ta-Ta!"

And with that, Hein left without another word and an excited Prompto dashed towards Fiore's room. Despite Noctis and his teasing, Prompto was still going to use his "hidden charms" to seduce the lovely princess. He wasn't called a Playboy for nothing. Once he approached Fiore's room, he made sure his hair was in order and he knocked twice.

"Hello? Princess?"

No response.

"...FiFi?"

Still nothing. A sense of worry struck Prompto for a time.

"... The door's open."

A sigh of relief escaped Prompto's lips once he heard Fiore's voice, "Geez, don't scare me like that! I thought you were gone!"

When Prompto opened the door, he couldn't help but hear the sounds of crying. Once he entered the room, Fiore was nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, Prompto called out her name.

"...I'm right here," Fiore was sitting on the rail of the window looking away from Prompto, holding her arms around her knees.

Prompto took a step forward, "Fiore...?"

She glanced back before quickly turning her head away, "Oh, it's you."

Her puffy eyes gave a clear indication she was indeed crying. Prompto knew now wasn't the time for frivolous flirting.

"Are you alright?" He began to walk towards the window.

"I'm fine, Prompto," she responded in the nicest tone she could, "Just fine."

He shook his head. Once again like when they camped Fiore was pretending to be fine and dandy when in reality she had a problem- actually, a multitude of problems, so to speak. Plus, after their little run-in with Ardyn, there was no doubt in Prompto's mind that she must be upset beyond anything else.

"If there's something bothering you, then... you can talk to me," Prompto reassured. He received no response from Fiore, so he took it upon himself to sit next to her. She didn't protest, much to his surprise. There was complete silence for a while before Fiore finally spoke.

"It's..." She stopped.

"It's...?" He asked, implying her to finish her sentence.

She took a deep breath, "Everything that's happened."

Prompto put on a sincere smile, "Ok, so the Empire has your country captive-"

"It's not just that!" She interrupted. She noticed that Prompto retreated a bit, "I'm sorry, but it's not just the loss of Valencia... My father's dead, the Empire thinks of me as a tool, and that guy Ignis-!" She covered her mouth before she could say more.

Prompto cocked his head to the side, "What about Iggy?"

Though she covered her mouth, a shade of red flushed her cheeks. Fiore lowered her eyes and looked away from Prompto, "Nothing... I just can't stand that man..."

She would be in slight euphoria whenever she thought of Ignis, although she tried ever so hard to resist. Prompto, on the other hand, understood exactly what was going on.

He scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to say next, "Oh... Uhh..."

"It's not what you think...!" Fiore flailed her hands, revealing her more prevalent blush.

"B-But I didn't say anything!" Prompto raised his hands in the air.

And the confusing movement of hands continued until Prompto just laughed it off, making light of the situation.

"W-Why are you laughing?" Fiore asked.

Prompto giggled, "Nah..."

"Tell me! Now!"

"I didn't think a high-class princess like yourself would be interested a guy like Iggy," He shifted himself a bit, "But then again, he's smart, can cook, and never loses his cool..."

"I don't like him! Stop assuming that I do!" She pointed at Prompto menacingly.

Prompto chuckled quietly, "That's okay! I'm not judging you!"

Angered, Fiore attempted to push Prompto off the windowsill and he almost did. Bless his quick agility.

"Ok, that's pushing it too far... No pun intended!" He exclaimed while climbing back up, "Sheesh, first you slap the Chancellor, which I have to admit was pretty badass, then you try to push me off the window?"

Fiore crossed her arms and did her signature condescending pout.

Prompto sighed, "Wow... you really can be cruel when you want to be..."

Ignoring Prompto, Fiore shook her head profusely, "It's... not like that."

_I don't want to fall for him... But..._

A sad smile curled on her lips. She thought of herself as a pathetic girl, unable to resist such emotions towards that man Ignis- a man she was sure to loathe. An odd sensation burned within her, a feeling she never thought to have felt since the time when her father was alive. Her heart was heavy, although Fiore did not understand why, but Prompto on the other hand was coming to terms with the reality that unfolded: Fiore seemed to be smitten with Ignis, even though she outright refused it herself. Though he was disappointed, he was not about to woo Fiore towards him. What kind of friend would he be if he stole Iggy's one chance?

 _An ass of a friend... Besides, bros before does,_ Prompto thought, clenching his fists. Just then, he put his hand over her shoulder. Fiore took notice and cupped her hands over rosy cheeks.

"It's alright to fall in love," Prompto said, smiling, "It's not something to be ashamed of."

"I'm not in love with that... that butler!" Fiore covered her face even more.

"Say whatever you want," he laughed as he stretched

She puckered her lips, not wanting to make a sound.

"Look, Iggy's not a bad guy," Prompto explained, "I'm sure somewhere in that no-nonsense heart of his, he probably wants to return those feelings. But, you know? Noct's safety is like his top priority, but I think l if he had the chance he would make some wiggle-room for a girl like you."

Fiore laid her head on her knees, "Yeah, right... He must think I'm a nuisance..."

Prompto pointed at himself, "Trust me, FiFi. You're looking at the definition of nuisance."

He laughed at himself for saying something like that and eventually Fiore joined in as well. Prompto was a clown, but he was also like a brother in an odd way. He's always cheering everybody up, even when everything seemed futile.

"Ha... Thanks, Prompto. I really needed that," Fiore said. The sincerity in her voice was real and honest.

"Don't sweat it! If something's wrong, don't hesitant to talk! I'm all ears!" Prompto grinned, "...Oh, and, uh, I won't tell Iggy, I promise... and feel free to talk to me about him. I think I can help you catch his attention."

Fiore slightly pushed Prompto away, "Thank you, but no thank you."

A small chuckle escaped from both Fiore and Prompto before Prompto glanced at the clock.

"Time sure does fly..." he muttered.

"Yes... yes, indeed," Fiore replied.

"Well, time to hit the hay. Nice chatting with you, my princess," Prompto took Fiore's hand to kiss, but she pulled away before he could do so.

"Don't push it," She said bluntly.

"Alright, alright... Goodnight, FiFi. See you in the morning!" And then Prompto left, leaving the door slightly open behind him.

Fiore waved at him and once he was gone, she brought herself off from the window and crawled into bed. She held her pillow against her chest and smiled. She took Prompto's words in consideration and perhaps he was right. Maybe there was no shame when in love...

_But I hate you, Ignis Scientia... Oh, why did I have to fall in love with you?_

_Hmph! Ignis..._

_Iggy..._

She dozed off in peace; her cheeks still blushing red, smiling.

"Sweet dreams... Princess Blanchard," whispered a voice from the crack of the door. He pushed up his glasses and then walked off quietly.


	7. Morning Nostalgia

_Morning Nostalgia_  

Ignis knocked over Fiore's door, "Lady Fiore?" 

Dead silence filled the atmosphere. The possible odds are that she still didn't wish to talk to him after yesterday. To Ignis, he couldn't understand Fiore especially over her sudden outburst yesterday. He assumed however that what he must have said offended her and more than likely Fiore was ignoring him. 

Regardless he knocked on the door again and asked in a more commanding tone, "Lady Fiore?" 

"Maybe you should check up on her," said Prompto passing by. 

Ignis glared at him, "Enter a lady's chamber without the proper permission?" 

Prompto shrugged, "I mean I haven't seen Hein all day and hey! The least you'll get is a slap on the face." 

"Oh, I'm sure you would love to have a photograph of it," Ignis replied. 

"You know I would! Gotta capture those priceless moments," Prompto jeered as he walked off. 

Ignis took a deep breath but he was skeptic about Prompto and his advice. Prompto wasn't wrong about Hein, though. Nobody's seen that man all morning and one would have thought for him to return to his Ladyship on the spot. This was quite odd to Ignis, but perhaps the geo homme's errands were more than just simple chores. He just hoped that Hein would return, but for now, Ignis decided he would "fill in" for Hein for the time being. Furthermore, he grew tired of waiting for the haughty Marquee to open the door. 

He gripped the doorknob but sighed,  _I can't believe I'm really doing this..._  

Slowly, he turned the knob, opened the door, and let himself in. As he walked in, he noticed Fiore sleeping soundly in her bed, gripping the pillow against her chest. She looked serene, elegant, and fair as she slept, almost like a child. Ignis hesitated for some reason, covered his mouth, and looked away. It was not polite to stare at a lady, especially when she least expected it. 

 _What am I doing?_ He thought,  _It isn't like me to act like this..._  

While looking away from Fiore's direction, there was, however, something off about her room: The windows were open but the curtains were closed and this bothered Ignis to no end. To him, leaving the windows open but the curtains closed was a sign of carelessness, a major pet-peeve of his (Noctis used to do this when they were younger). So Ignis opened the curtains and closed the window, but as the curtains slid open he could hear a slight peep from behind. He glanced back to see Fiore groaning and attempting to pull the covers over her eyes. 

He sighed irritably, "Rise and shine, Lady Blanchard." 

She groaned again and used the same pillow to cover her head, "I don't want to... It's too early..." 

"Well, as the old saying goes: 'the early bird catches the worm.' Now I suggest you get up." 

Fiore let out a small sigh from under the pillow then raised her head. She had an awful bedhead to compliment her baggy eyes. Once she finished rubbing them, she looked at Ignis who was kneeling down at her bedside. 

"Good morning," he said bluntly. 

She stammered a bit, blushing, "… Morning." 

Fiore then scouted the area and looked confused. If Ignis was here, then... 

"Where's Hein?" She asked in a tired but concerning tone. 

Ignis rubbed his chin, "Hmmm... I would assume that you would know." 

She shook her head, "No, I know he left, but he didn't tell me exactly where he was going." 

 _He said he'd be back by morning... This is not like him to be late,_ Fiore thought. She knew Hein was the punctual type— the man who absolutely hated to be late for anything—so why would he not come back? He'd at least be awake before her and wake her up instead. A morbid Idea came across her mind that something terrible must have happened to him. 

She's already suffered enough... What's one more problem to add to her growing list? 

"If that's the case, then he must be running late... Perhaps he ran into a bit of trouble last night?" Ignis asked. 

"No," Fiore replied, "I know he's capable of handling himself in any given situation. He's just running late, that's all." 

It was hard believing in her own statement, but in the end, she had to hold on to the notion that Hein really was running late. In the meantime, someone would have to fill in for Hein until he returned... 

"Oh! I know! Iggy, how about you take care of Fiore! I'm sure she'll appreciate it!" It was Prompto from the door, meaning he never really left. 

 _Prompto_ _, you idiot!_ Fiore thought. There was nothing more infuriating in this world than knowing that Prompto was playing matchmaker. Oh, the urge to shoot him right between the eyes was far too great,  _I said I didn't need your help! What part of that did you not understand?!_  

Ignis glared at Prompto with those cold eyes of his. It made Prompto shiver a bit, but he would stand by his suggestion through and through, after all, he wanted to see these two together. Ignis was a bit skeptic over Prompto. Just what was this blonde-haired buffoon up too? No good was what Ignis thought but although he didn't want to since her servant has gone missing he seemed to be the only one capable enough to look after Fiore. It was like taking care of a spoiled female Noctis in an odd sense. 

"I don't know what you're exactly planning Prompto, but I will get to the bottom of this," Ignis threatened. 

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then!" Prompto mused while clapping his hands. Also to an extent, he was quite relieved that Ignis didn't figure his plan out immediately. Thank Titan Iggy was very dense when it came to reading the emotional motives of others. 

This time, Prompto did take his leave and Fiore and Ignis were alone again. Fiore gripped the locks of tousled hair from her ends, still in disbelief that Prompto couldn't leave well enough alone. 

 _I should have just kept my mouth shut..._ She thought. 

Just then, Ignis stood up and dusted his hands, "Now how does your day normally begin?" 

"Oh! Well... Usually..." She seemed slightly embarrassed to tell him, "Hein would have already prepared the bath..." 

Ignis stood silent for a brief moment before pushing his glasses up, "Very well, then. I shall prepare the bath. In the meantime, I suggest you pick out something to wear." 

He entered the bathroom without another word. He mentioned the last part because he knew it would probably take Fiore another fifteen minutes to half an hour just to find the right coordinate for today. Fiore knew this and in retaliation threw the pillow at the bathroom door once Ignis shut the door. Once she missed, she cupped her hands around her face and shut her eyes, squealing quietly. It was a squeal of not just irritation alone, but pure bliss as well. 

 _Cazzo_ _! Do I... despise that man! How could I have let myself fall for such a man?_ She thought bitting her lip in the process. 

Then Fiore remembered what Prompto said last night:  _"It's alright to fall in love."_  She sighed and a slight smiled curled around her lips. 

 _Oh, how pathetic am I... My hatred and love are blurred because of him. I want to stay away, yet I'm_ _dreadfully drawn to him_ _..._  

 _I will never forgive him for this..._  

 _Father, aid me... for I believe that I am hopelessly in love with that man. That man whose emerald_ _gaze strikes my very soul_ _... Whose husky voice makes me shiver with delight... Whose cooking is to die for..._  

Fiore rose from her bed, her eyelids lowered as she stared off to the side,  _Ignis_ _..._ _Ignis_ _Scientia..._  

She came shortly after she recalled that he asked her to choose what she was to wear today. And so, Fiore got out of bed, yawned, stretched, and looked through her luggage for a fitting dress. It was between a black dress or another dark blue dress. Choices: She could match with the others with the black or stay with the blue. While deciding what to wear, Ignis stepped out of the bathroom. 

"The bath is ready," Ignis said, bowing slightly. 

"I need your opinion. Which dress do you think I should wear? Black or Blue?" Fiore asked. 

Ignis wondered why Fiore suddenly asked for his opinion, but he shrugged it off and actually took the time to examine the dresses. 

"I would suggest the black dress. You'll blend in better," he concluded. 

Fiore gave a sneering look at the black dress, "Never liked black... too dark and depressing. But fine, I'll try something new." 

Black was a morbid color for her tastes, but she could see where Ignis was coming from. So, she gave him the black dress to hold and entered the bathroom. 

"No peeking!" Fiore commanded as she pointed at Ignis. 

"You would enjoy that, wouldn't you?" Ignis replied. He actually smirked at her comment which in turn made her blush even harder. 

She scoffed at him then slammed the door. It took Fiore a good half-hour until Ignis, who was obviously annoyed, knocked on the door insinuating for her to finish up. A few more minutes later after changing, she left the bathroom in that black dress. 

"I feel like I'm going to a funeral..." She admitted. 

"Yes, but I must admit you do look... astounding in black," Ignis replied. 

Fiore turned around quickly, but not before handing him a brush, "S-Shut up... and brush my hair." 

She led herself to the vanity and sat in front of the mirror, waiting for Ignis to brush her hair. Now, Hein rarely did this because Fiore wouldn't let anybody touch her long, flowing, blue hair. She usually did her hair herself, but she seemed to trust Ignis, so she'll let him brush her hair instead. Ignis then came up behind Fiore, held a few strands of hair and started brushing. He noticed the sun-shaped birthmark on her neck, but didn't ask of it. Fiore then trembled slightly, causing Ignis to stop. 

"Is there something wrong?" He asked. 

Fiore nodded, "Brush gently, will you? My hair is very delicate." 

"My apologizes," Ignis replied, "I'll try as tenderly as I can." 

He brushed at a slower pace. Fiore's pink cheeks were prevalent, but Ignis didn't seem to notice. She felt nostalgic at the very action taking place. The reflection in the mirror said it all: a fairly handsome man giving aid to a young lady like herself. 

 _Like a portrait of lovers..._  

She wanted to draw this moment so badly in her sketchbook. It was a time like this worth the sketch. However, she wasn't sure if Ignis felt the same way; in fact, Fiore feared that. She feared there was a possibility that Ignis may never return those feelings and that would in turn destroy her completely. It would leave her heart in shattered fragments and no one could piece them back together. Maybe this was why she loathed him initially...  She could be straightforward, but she couldn't admit to her feelings towards him.  

She opened her mouth, wanting to say how she felt, "I..." 

"Hm?" Ignis looked down at her. 

"I... want to cook sometime. I forgot to do that when we were camping," She said. 

 _Non, non, non! That isn't what I wanted to say!_  

"I was pondering at that too," Ignis said, "But don't worry, Lady Fiore. You'll have your chance." 

Fiore was upset with herself. It was now or never. She had to know how he felt, "But what I meant to say was I—" 

"Iggy!!" 

Ignis and Fiore turned their heads towards the door to see Gladiolus holding his greatsword over his shoulders. 

"Imperials nearby! Heading our way!!" He bellowed. 

Ignis looked back at Fiore, "I suppose you're going to have to hold that thought, Lady Fiore... Right now we have other pressing matters to attend to." 

He summoned his daggers and followed behind Gladiolus. Fiore was infuriated. Here she was about to reveal her true colors to Ignis only for the Imperial Army to impede that. Not only to mention that she had a strong feeling that the Imperials had something to do with Hein's disappearance. Swiftly Fiore gripped Ignis's right arm. 

"Wait... I'm coming with you guys," She said. 

"Sorry, Princess," Gladio called back, "but we don't need you slowing us down!" 

Fiore pouted, "Hey! I can fight too!!" 

"Are you sure you can handle yourself?" Ignis asked. Since the black chocobo incident, he wondered himself if Fiore was up to the task. He looked down at her injured shoulder 

Fiore winked and held on to her mostly healed shoulder, "Hmph! You just watch!!" 

"Tsk! Just try not to get killed!!" Gladio repled. 

"Let's be done with this riff-raff!" Ignis exclaimed. 

And the three sprinted off join Noctis and Prompto in the unforgiving battle ahead. 


	8. Own Your Fears Parte I

_Own Your Fears_ _~Parte Premier~_

Noctis wiped the blood off his lips, "Damn!"

Prompto rushed over to his side and pulled his friend back up, "Keep your head in the game, Noct!"

Prompto shot a round at one of the Magitek infantrymen. The two were caught in the midst of a battle between the mechanical forces of the Empire. A gunman was able to shoot Noctis in the side while Prompto suffered from a few gashes and wounds.

"Where's... Gladio and Iggy?" Noctis asked while using a potion.

"That's what I want to know," Prompto exclaimed, "We're getting creamed out here!"

The numbers were obviously against them—two against twenty, maybe more of varying sizes and weaponry. Though they were holding their own, without the rest of the group they weren't able to cover more ground; Noctis and Prompto would have to constantly watch each other's backs and stay as close to one another. Noctis took a quick glance behind his back.

"Prompto!" He called.

"What?" Prompto replied while shooting.

"Snipers!"

Two snipers had their lasers pointed at Prompto. Noctis wanted to stop them but the huge axman he was facing proved to be more trouble than it was worth. Prompto turned towards their direction and barely dodged the flurry of bullets. He then took cover behind a moss-riddled rock, reloading his revolver in the process, but he realized that Noctis was out there alone.

"Noct!" Prompto called out.

The axman and Noctis clashed weapons for the longest time, however, Noctis was about to enter into stasis for he used up most of his power. Noctis parried, but the soldier raised his ax again, catching Noctis off guard. This time, Noctis knew he couldn't parry or block the attack in time.

"Tch!" Noctis dodged out of the way, albeit barely. He had just about enough strength to reach Prompto, but now the infantry were closing in on them.

"We're sitting chocobos out here!" Prompto fearfully said.

The axman raised its ax again, intending to slash through the rock until a loud thud was heard. Noctis and Prompto peeked their heads out from the cover only to see the axman lying on the floor. A sizeable hole appeared on the back of its head.

"Got him!" Called a female voice from the distance.

"Impressive," replied another voice.

"Hmph... Not bad," continued yet another voice.

Noctis and Prompto looked towards the direction of the voice to see Ignis and Gladio with Fiore above higher ground.

"Ha Ha! The cavalry has arrived!" Prompto said, waving back to them.

Noctis grunted, "What took you so long?"

"Hey, you're lucky we came in time," Gladio replied.

"I just saved your life, Prince Noctis!" Fiore called, looking rather annoyed, "A thank you would be nice!"

"No time for small talk!" Ignis suddenly called, pointing up towards the sky, "Magitek Engines! They're close!"

He was right. There were four more ships flying above them and making their way down to the group. Noctis and Prompto were incapacitated at the moment, leaving the rest to come up with an effective strategy and quickly.

"You two go on ahead," Fiore suggested, "I'll cover you from up here. Go and help the Prince!"

She motioned the two men to get going while they still can. Fiore was going to be their eyes in the sky, while Ignis and Gladio were to provide support from below. It wasn't a terrible plan, actually.

In fact, Gladio even smirked, "You got our backs, then?"

Annoyed, Fiore slightly pushed both of them off the ledge, "Just go!"

Lucky for her, Ignis and Gladio landed on their feet. The two then rushed into battle, carving a path for themselves to get to their friend's hiding spot. Ignis came to Noctis's aid while Gladio called for Prompto to join him in the onslaught. Though slightly injured, Noctis reciprocated from his stasis and he and Ignis later joined the fray. The four were locked in combat, annihilating every infantryman who dared raise their weapon at them.

Once again, the two snipers had their sights set on Noctis as well as Prompto, but before they could gun down the two, an arrow was lodged into the side of one of the sniper's head, ripping the head off clean from the entire body. But that's not all, the arrow alongside the soldier's decapitated head smashed into the head of the other sniper. The sheer force from the dismembered head smashed the side, causing the other sniper to fall with the arrow now lodged in its head.

Fiore's aim was impeccable at best. Locked in a state of concentration, she was; shooting down every trooper in close proximity of the Chocobros. An interesting feat about her aim: she wasn't aiming directly at the soldiers. Rather, her arrows ricocheted off various areas and even though her arrows were made out of her own energy, they were still at the mercy of the wind's direction. She meant to do this so that her shots could be more discreet.

Like her father once said, _"Look_ _your enemy in the eye, but destroy them when they turn their backs."_

She pulled out another arrow and focused her attention on a gunman who was prepared to shoot down Lucian Prince.

 _North-East. Light breeze,_ Fiore thought, _Come on... Just a little closer..._

She waited until the time was right, _Just a few more meters..._

"Now!"

She released the arrow once the soldier in range, first it bounced off the floor before jabbing the armored gunman in the abdomen. Noctis turned around to see the lifeless body of the Magitek soldier falling onto its knees then meeting the floor with an abrupt thud.

Noctis pointed at Fiore, "Thanks!"

"Oh, it was nothing..." Fiore responded, waving her hand in a lackadaisical way.

The grateful expression Noctis had turned into fright, "Behind you!"

"Wha—Yaaahhh!" Fiore was stopped short by the near-hit of an Imperial soldier. It attempted to use the butt of its gun to hit her, possibly hoping to knock her unconscious, but luckily she dodged in good time. She thought that since she was on higher ground they wouldn't think twice to notice her, but they found her regardless. They must have known that something was off as many of them fell like flies even before they could attack Noctis and company.

The soldier dashed towards Fiore, firing a blazing lot of lasers. Fiore couldn't shoot a moving target from a range this close. She backed away with every shot the soldier shot until she was cornered—a cliff was behind her.

"Fiore!" Prompto called.

"Damn!" Gladio cursed.

There weren't a lot of options for her: She could take a risk and jump down, but it was quite a fall.

"We'll catch you!" Noctis assured.

"Are you crazy?!" Fiore responded, "No! No, I won't do it!"

Even if Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto thought of catching her, Fiore would more than likely not jump. Ignis knew that; he figured Fiore wouldn't jump. It was just too risky, but there had to be something they could do before tragedy struck.

Just then as the soldier ran up to her, almost as if by instinct, she used the blunt end of her bow and landed a clean hit over the troopers face. Whether it was sudden impulse or not, Fiore was glad she managed to stun the fighter for a brief amount of time. Now was the time to escape...

"...Ah!"

Fiore then fell on her knees, writhing in pain.

"Are you all right?" Ignis asked from below. His voice seemed to have a worrisome tone to it.

"No, I'm not alright!" Replied Fiore, "I... I think I've been shot!"

She looked down to see a small hole in her dress with blood seeping off to the side. Yes, she was shot in the right hip. She tried to get up, but the wound immobilized her and she was forced to limp even though the pain was unbearable. To make matters worse, two more soldiers appeared and they followed with their guns aimed at her. One of them was responsible for shooting her. The men were compelled to aid her, but unfortunately for them, they still have yet to defeat the infantrymen from below.

Fiore couldn't move anymore and her bow faded away.

 _This actually could be the end..._ Fiore thought while panting, _What a terrible way to go... like this..._

She closed her eyes and held her bleeding side. It was all over...

I didn't even get the chance to tell him... He'll never know how _I truly felt about him... Oh, how cruel... How cruel this world can be..._

"…Lady Fiore!" Ignis called.

She opened her eyes slightly to see Ignis from below, fighting. He was fighting, yes, but he was also keeping a keen eye on her and once Fiore slumped to the floor, he knew she was at a critical stage.

If she were to die here, he could never forgive himself and her journey would have all been in vain.

Non _!_ Fiore thought, _Non! Non! Non! Non finire! It will not end like this!_

Fiore's eyes were wide open showcasing a golden yellow hue; her birthmark also illuminated. And, despite the festering wound, she rose from the ground. She struggled, whimpering as her movements were opening the wound, but still, she stood proud and tall. It was almost like she caught her "second wind." She then outstretched her arm towards the two soldiers

Fiore pointed, "Just looking at you... appalls me to no end!"

Green vine-like tendrils formed from her hand with thorns attached, but these thorns didn't hurt her, however. They lunged at one of the soldiers, thoroughly restraining its movement while the other one tried to shoot. Its efforts were futile as Fiore swung the restrained soldier at the other one with great force; the thorns piercing through its body. That same soldier hit a bunch of other ones from the ground below, causing the rest of the party to stop short.

"What the hell...?" Gladio asked.

They all looked up at Fiore who still held her side in pain, yet her face said otherwise.

"What are you doing standing there...?" She growled. Her eyes still gleamed gold as well as her neck, "We're not done yet..."

Prompto took a step back, "… Fiore?"

She smirked at the four, "… I'm fine. Just keep your eyes on the enemy...!"

_Forget about me... Just worry about yourselves!_

"Well, now! Ain't you a rarity!" Exclaimed a voice.

From a Magitek engine, two familiar figures could be seen. One of them was waving and the other one had her arms crossed, both of them looking down at the party.

"You again?" Noctis asked.

"Yes, yes... It's us! Rydley and Aranea! The Dubious Duo!" Rydley said shaking his hands, "Please excuse the gunman for their sudden assault! We have no reason to harm the Prince or the Princess! The other three though are expendable!"

He shrugged Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto off like they were expendable.

Fiore pointed upward towards the two, "If you hurt them..."

Aranea chided quietly, "Hm... As if you could do anything..."

"What did you say?" Fiore gripped her fists.

"I said, you couldn't do anything, even if you tried," Aranea replied bluntly, "You're just a hindrance to them."

"No, no I'm not!" Fiore responded, "Who are you to tell me that!"

"Hmph..." Aranea only smirked at her.

Fiore then raised her bow at her, "Fine. Face me then. Prove to everyone that I am a hindrance!"

Noctis and the others were completely dumbfounded by Fiore's sudden outbursts and heated aggression. It was like she became a whole nother person.

"Are you going to accept her challenge, Miss Highwind?" Rydley asked, turning his back away from her, "If you are, then try not to kill her. I need her alive... and I will help you if you so need it."

"Are you assuming that She'll take me down?"

"Just assuming the worst... I mean the Blanchard Royal Family have a few tricks up their sleeves..."

Without another word, Aranea dismissed Rydley's replied then looked down at Fiore who was in a slightly weakened battle stance.

"Fiore! Stop this at once!" Ignis protested.

"You've taken a hit! Let us handle this!" Gladio continued.

She ignored the both of them completely.

Aranea was interested. Fiore wasn't going to back down, even though she had a wound lodged in her side. Most girls like her would cower in fear and flee for safety, but instead, she could see a fire burning in the young Marquee's eyes— A fire look that told everyone that she has had enough.

"Alright, Princess. Let's play..."

With a flip of her mask and a twirl of her spear, she jumped down from the ship.

A new battle emerged through the mayhem: The Dragoon vs. The Marquee.

"Fiore!"

_~Parte Premier Fin~_


End file.
